The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-05-19

was to him the world. Though familiar with the
geography Of the interior Of this great Continent,
he stood like stone wall 10 defend Virginia against
the Huns and Goths " OF the North. and he did
Il like valiant knight, as he was. He stood at
the front porch battling with the flames whilst the
kitchen and house were burning, sure in the end
10 consume the whole. Only twice, at Antietam
and Gettysburg, did he venture outside on the
offensive defensive" In the first intance he
knew personally his antagonist and that large
fraction of his force would be held In reserve; in
the last he assumed the bold offensive" was
badly beaten by Meade and forced to retreat back
20 Virginia. As an aggressive soldier Lee was not
a success and in war that is the true and proper
test. Nothing succeeds like success" In defend
ing Virginia and Richmond lie did all a man could,
but To him Virginia seemed the "Confederncy." and
he stayed there whilst the Northern armies at the
West were gaining the Mississippi, the Tennessee,
the Cumberland, Georgia, South and North Caro-
lima, yea, the Roanoke, after which his military
acumen taught him that further tarrying in Rich
mond was absolute suicide. Such IL the mill
tary hero which Gen. Wolsely would place
In monument side by side with Washington,
The Father OF his Country-First In war, first in
peace, aud first In the hearts Of his countrymen"
All that - good i'm the character Of Gen. Robert T.
Lee is ours, and will cherish it, and we will DO
charitable TO his weaknesses, but so long as the
fNpAN ASNoiN eCiiS VI u. o. OIaAh hhN NNN'e -
Thomas. VIC cannot be at n loss for heroes for whom
10 erect monuments like those Of Nielsen and Well
I lington in London, well worthy TO stand side by
side with the one which now graces our Capitol
City OF George Washington"
Gen. Sherman makes a concise and bril-
liant review of Gen. Grants career from the
day that the telegraph announced that Fort
Sumter had been fred on until be received
Lees surrender, and shows that his achieve
ments as General were far more brilliant
than Lees.
Grants strategy" embraced a continent, Lees
a small State; Grants "logis;ics" were to supply
and transport armies thousands of miles where Lee
was limited TO hundreds. Grant had 10 conquer
natural obstacles as well as hostile armies and a
hostile people, his tactics" were to fight wherever
and whenever he could capture or cripple his adj
veTsaTy and his resources; and when Lee laid down
! his arms and surrendered. Grant by the stroke oil
his pen, the instant gave him and his men terms
SO liberal To disarm all criticism. Between these
two men as Generals will not institute compari
son. for the mere statement Of the establishes
a contrast.
Gen. Sherman then goes on to speak Of
Gen. Thomas:
Ia personal appearance he resembled Georg'
| Washington. the Father OF our Country, and in al
the attributes OF manhood he was the peer of Gen
Lee. good il not n better soldier, of equal in
tellgenee, the same kind heart beloved to idoatry
by his Army OF the Cumberland. exercising gen
tie but strict, discipline disturbed by fals'
rumors or real danger, not naturally aggressive
but magnificent on the defensive; almost the yer,
counterpart of his friend, Gen. Lee, but IA
excelling him in the moral and patriotic line o
action AT the beginning of the war. Lee resigned
his commission when civil war was certain, bu
Thomas remained true to his oath and his dut,
always 10 the very last minute Of his life. During
the whole war his services were tTanscendent win
ming the first substantial victory at Mill Springs il
Kentucky, Jan. 20 ls62, participating in the cam
paign Of the West in 1862 63y Ca. aud Dec lG 1864
annihilating the army ofIIood which in AIidwinte
bad advanced to Nashville to besiege him. II
none of these battles viii Gen. Wolseley preten'
there was such inequality Of numbers as he refer
10 in the East